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Behind the curtains of the house of Gucci

In her new memoir, Patricia Gucci, born an illegitimate daughter of Aldo Gucci, discusses her complex relationship with her famous family.

Patricia Gucci describes the turmoil that engulfed the family fashion empire in the 1980s, when her father was jailed for tax evasion. Patricia says she no longer has any relationship with the family. (NEIL HALL / REUTERS)

Though her mother was loyal and loving to Aldo Gucci, "the relationship created anxiety for her, a feeling that she never belonged," says Patricia Gucci.

Patricia Gucci was born in 1963, the illegitimate daughter of Aldo Gucci, head of the famous fashion house. Later her father did legitimize her and include her in the running of his company, but there were many ups and downs, and Gucci’s story often seems like a Barbara Hutton, Gloria Vanderbilt tale: poor little rich girl whose life was not as glamorous as one would expect. Patricia Gucci spoke to me from London about her new book, In the Name of Gucci: A Memoir. Our conversation has been edited for length.

Jennifer: You had to deal with many complexities, being the illegitimate child of a famous, wealthy man. Your mother was emotionally absent much of the time; you were shunted from country to country and you didn’t meet your stepbrothers until you were a young adult. You describe your family as dysfunctional and, yes, they were difficult. But as a journalist who has witnessed poverty and homelessness, I believe you had a very privileged life, with wealth, security, a good education and lovely homes to live in.

Patricia: I am not disputing that. I am privileged and lucky. But it’s all relative. It is important for people to talk about things that affected them. We are all human.

In my book, I am just trying to tell the story of my father. I discovered things during the research. I wanted to understand my mother and why she was so unhappy. Her unhappiness did affect me all my life. She wasn’t involved in my life the way a daughter would want a mother to be. We never did fun things together. Go shopping, for example.

Having the benefit of being in a great home with all the comforts and going to a good school and having lovely clothes is an incredible gift, but it doesn’t mean it will make you a happier person. Nor will it give you less reason to have doubts about yourself.

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Jennifer: Your mother took a real risk by entering a relationship with Aldo Gucci. She was in her early 20s; he was in his 50s. She came from a modest family and was living in a very Catholic Italy. This was the 1950s, when religious strictures were strong and divorce was verboten. Why do you think she did it?

Patricia: She was on her path to live a certain life, married to a certain man. She didn’t question that destiny. When her father died, her mother told her, “You need to find a job so at least you can pay for things you want.” And she did and she walked into the world of Gucci (first working as a clerk).

When she met my father, there was complete respect and understanding, and it went on that way for a year and a half. It was an incredible world and she was grateful she had this opportunity to be there, but she never in her wildest dreams believed my father would think that way about her.

There was something about her that struck him. There was nothing coquettish about my mother, nothing flirtatious. She was modest and demure, and he fell for that. When she became his secretary, they were in even greater proximity.

She still went through a long process of rejecting him. She became extremely ill with a thyroid condition. My father was sophisticated, 30 years older than she was, and when he sent her letters he used words that made her feel important. The words of love and poetry made her feel she was the most important human being in the world.

Even though she loved my father, and was loyal, the relationship created anxiety for her, a feeling that she never belonged. She became more private, more reserved.

Jennifer: Your mother’s care of you was very perfunctory: “When I needed to be fed, she prepared my meals. When it was time for me to clean up, she drew me a bath. Then she’d plop me in front of the television until it was time for bed. She’d done her duty and that’s where it ended.” But now, as an adult, you see her differently.

Patricia: As a child you look at things in a black and white way. I would look at my friends and their families and saw there was more fun and more interaction.

My mother is somebody who lives very much in her mind. She thinks too much, she worries too much. When I look back, I can begin to understand what was going on in her life. Her main concern was taking care of my father.

Jennifer: In the 1990s, the Gucci family imploded due to family friction and the intervention of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. Your father died in his 80s of liver cancer after spending a year in prison.

Patricia: Very few people would have survived unscathed by what my father went through. Having a son betray you and send you to the IRS, or to be kicked out of the company, to go to prison — that was a terrible thing for an 82-year-old man to endure.

Then to see your whole life’s work suddenly taken away from you. In his late 70s, he was one of the healthiest, most vibrant human beings who walked on the planet. He had the energy and the stamina of a 50-year-old. But those blows were too much for anyone to endure.

Jennifer: What’s your relationship like now with your famous family, those who are still living?

Patricia: There is no relationship. Zero. They’re in Italy and I live elsewhere. My half-brothers died and the one who is left is very elderly. He is a nice man but I don’t speak to him.

My father worked all his life to create a family company. He wanted his sons and daughter and nephew and grandchildren to carry it on. What happened was very unfortunate.

Jennifer: Do you at least get a family discount when you go into a Gucci store?

Patricia: I used to in the beginning and for some reason that stopped. Now I buy full retail.

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